


Relief

by kinsale_42



Series: Historical McReyes [2]
Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Aftercare, Age Difference, Anal Sex, Blackwatch Era, Canon Compliant, Difficulty Reaching Orgasm, Erotica, Gentle Sex, Hurt/Comfort, Kissing, M/M, Minor Injuries, Morrison/Reyes Subtext, Oral Sex, Plot What Plot/Porn Without Plot, Porn with Feelings, Sex Toys, fantasy sex toys, prescribed medication
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-23
Updated: 2018-09-23
Packaged: 2019-07-16 03:04:26
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,055
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16077029
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kinsale_42/pseuds/kinsale_42
Summary: Jesse is injured on a job, and Gabe's first reaction is to take him down a peg. Seeing Jesse looking fragile flips a hidden switch inside him, and he needs to remind himself that they're both very much alive. Gabe forces himself to proceed cautiously, because although the threat of being discovered turns him on, he doesn't want to put Jesse back in the infirmary.





	Relief

 

The afternoon sun slanted amber through the blinds as Jesse carefully dealt a fresh round of solitaire on the bedside table. Somewhere behind the painkillers, he could feel the new wounds on his arm and chest burning, and in between turning the cards, his fingers fretted at the edges of the large white squares of his bandages. He tried to focus on the game, wishing desperately for a smoke. But the doc had said, “Quarters!” and she would kill him herself if she caught him outside, not to mention how uncomfortable it would be to put on a shirt over his injuries. He didn’t fancy trying his luck with the smoke detector in his room, either.

Then, with no warning, the door burst open. Jesse looked up into the thunderous storm cloud of Reyes’ face. In the hours since Jesse had been injured, Reyes had put together a scathing lecture on his protégé’s lack of judgment and shirking of responsibilities to his team and the organization as a whole. It had been on constant loop in his head, keeping the intensity of his anger high.

“What the hell were you up to out there? Heroics like that do nothing but risk the lives of your team and the success of the mission. You’re damn lucky to be sitting there in one piece, McCree.” Reyes’ voice was loud in the small room.

Jesse seemed untouched by Reyes’ rage. “Hey now, I didn’t do a damn thing you wouldn’t have done yourself. It wasn’t a situation where I could wear armor and you know it. We did our job right and I have witnesses, so you can cut the bullshit.” He looked down at his cards, and turned over three more.

On any other day, Gabe might have gotten angrier at Jesse’s reaction, or lack thereof, but he’d already been worked up for a good four hours. He looked intently at Jesse and now he really saw him, how exposed and vulnerable he was, sitting on the edge of his bunk in only his boxers and the patches of white gauze, how pale he was beneath his tan. Gabe’s temper was quickly defused.

“How bad did they get you?” he asked, at a much more appropriate volume, his concern authentic.

Jesse replied without looking up. “Slashing wounds,” he said. “Nothing serious. I guess they only wanted to hurt me, not kill me. Angela glued me back together.” He continued to work through the reserve deck in his hand, even though he wasn’t able to concentrate on the cards.

“Well,” Gabe said, and cleared his throat. “Get some rest.” He reached out to ruffle Jesse’s hair, but somehow the casually affectionate gesture turned into a caress. Jesse’s eyes closed and he leaned into the hand that stroked his cheek. Gabe felt his insides twist as the spark he’d been trying to bury for six months rekindled into desire. When Jesse’s grey eyes opened again, their pinpoint pupils fixed on him, he felt the hunger tear through him. His thumb drifted across Jesse’s lower lip, and his breath hitched when he felt Jesse’s lips part and jaw open under his touch. Gabe bent down close, then hesitated, his face just inches from Jesse’s. He could feel Jesse’s head tip up slightly in his hand, sense the warmth of Jesse’s breath on his mouth. He closed his eyes. Did he really want to cross this line? This wasn’t like that time so long ago in Korea. This was different, somehow, in some way he was afraid to investigate too closely.

And then Jesse said his name. “Gabe,” he said, softly, and it wasn’t a question, it was a confirmation. Gabe’s eyelids lifted halfway, enough to see the naked wanting in Jesse’s expression. There was no longer any question. Their lips met, and it was nothing like it had been before. In that anonymous hotel room in Korea, it had been volcanic. It had been storm-tossed surf. This kiss was honey, and wine. This kiss flayed Gabe’s soul bare. He fell to his knees between Jesse’s thighs, his hands sliding so gently across the warm skin of Jesse’s waist.

The playing cards fell unnoticed from Jesse’s hand, cascading onto the floor as he reached to touch Gabe’s neck. He had to break off the kiss as the sting of his arm wound made him gasp. Gabe pulled back, alarmed.

“Did I hurt you?” His brows pulled together and he started to lift his hands away, but Jesse stopped him with a hand on his bicep. Jesse was laughing, a dry, exasperated laugh.

“No, it’s my own dumb ass hurting myself. I lifted my arm too high, too fast. ‘S cool.” He hadn’t missed Gabe’s worried expression. He wanted so much to believe it meant Gabe cared. “You could take that coat off, though,” he added. “If you’re gonna stay a while.”

Gabe’s lips curved into a smile, with just a hint of wickedness to it. He stood up and took off his coat, tossing it over the desk chair, then stripped off the thin, snug-fitting sweater he wore beneath and added it to the pile, leaving only a thin cotton tank to cover his chest. He wasted no time returning to his previous position before Jesse, his fingers delicately stroking the surface of Jesse’s back, his face buried in Jesse’s collarbone.

Jesse could feel his heart pound as Gabe’s warm body encircled him, as their skin made contact. His hands wandered of their own accord over Gabe’s shoulders and neck, brushing across the velvet of his closely-clipped head. Between the comforting glow of the painkillers and the euphoria of being touched by the man he desired more than anything, Jesse was quite sure he was caught up in a dream. He had never expected a second chance.

Gabe lifted himself upright, smoothing his palm down Jesse’s good arm, following the contour of his muscles. He looked into Jesse’s eyes for a moment. “Have you been working out? You’re bigger than I remember.” His hand continued over to caress Jesse’s chest, and he followed it with his lips, leaving kisses like a trail of falling autumn leaves.

“Yeah. I thought it would help me sleep better,” Jesse answered.  _ Instead of lying awake thinking about you,  _ he finished silently. He shivered as Gabe’s mouth danced across his abdomen and then slowly worked back up to his neck, diligently avoiding the bandage that covered most of Jesse’s left pectoral.

“Mmm. Did it?” Gabe asked, his voice making Jesse’s skin vibrate. He laid a line of soft kisses up Jesse’s neck and along his jaw.

“Yeah, pretty much.”  _ Now I just dream about you all the time,  _ Jesse thought.  _ Still sexually frustrated _ . “Besides, now if you ever need me to go undercover as a lifeguard, I’ve got the body for it. Just need the sun-bleached hair…”

“And a tiny red swimsuit,” Gabe murmured in Jesse’s ear before tracing its edges with the tip of his tongue. Jesse’s back arched slightly, and his fingers dug into Gabe’s shoulder blades. “Mmm, a sensitive spot. I’ll have to remember that.” He found Jesse’s mouth again, and dove into another kiss as fathomless and relentless as the sea. His arms slipped around Jesse’s waist and pulled him forward until their chests touched, and he could feel Jesse’s heartbeat next to his own, both of them racing flat out for some unknown finish line.

They had to come up for air eventually, and suddenly there was something very serious that hung unspoken between them. Gabe still held Jesse gently and Jesse's arms hung across Gabe's shoulders as they studied each other.

Jesse broke the silence, speaking so quietly that he almost couldn't hear himself. “What are we doing?” he asked.

“Jess…” Gabe began. It took him a minute to find words to continue.“You know I can't promise you anything. But when they said you'd been hit on the comms, it was like the color drained out of everything.” He stroked the ridges of Jesse’s spine, his hand coming to rest between the angles of Jesse’s shoulder blades.“I just need you to be alive for me. I need to be reminded that I'm alive.” Gabe leaned forward again, laying their cheeks together, feeling Jesse's side whiskers brush against the shaved skin above his goatee. “I'm sorry I'm such a selfish bastard,” he said softly. “All I can offer you is right now.”

Jesse's head was spinning. It was a more intimate, more honest answer than he'd expected. Even though it revealed very little, it was enough. He pressed his head against Gabe's, and curled his legs around Gabe's thighs, bringing him even closer. Through the thin fabric of his boxer shorts he could feel the solid bulge in Gabe's trousers, a match for the hard-on he'd been sporting almost since Gabe's fingers first grazed his skin. The little shadow at the back of his mind that was telling him this was a bad idea was powerfully overwhelmed by his wish to make it happen.

“Right now is good,” Jesse said. “I can live with right now.” And then Gabe’s mouth was on his again, and he felt Gabe's hands squeezing his ass as they kissed. He slid his hands into the heat between their bodies, his fingers fumbling with Gabe's belt. He got it unfastened, and opened Gabe's trousers enough to slip a hand inside and stroke his cock. Gabe moaned into his mouth at the touch, and he felt his own prick throb in response.

Gabe broke off the kiss. “We have to take it easy. Can't have you wind up back in the infirmary.” He sighed with pleasure as Jesse did fantastic things to him with his fingers. Gabe reluctantly pulled Jesse's hand away, kissing his palm before releasing it, and got back to his feet so he could take off the rest of his clothes.

Jesse hooked his fingers in the top of his undershorts, preparing to pull them off, but his attention was caught by the way the sun fell across his lover's body. It revealed all his scars and wrinkles, all the damage his war-torn life had inflicted upon him. There were no shadows to hide him here.

Gabe caught him watching and ran his hands down his muscled abdomen. “Not too bad for an old man, I hope.”

“Heh, no, not bad at all. And you're not old.” Jesse finished slipping his underwear off. Gabe gently laid him back on the bed and arranged himself alongside. They barely fit together on the narrow mattress, but Gabe draped himself around Jesse, one hand supporting him behind his shoulders and the other softly stroking his body as they once again lost themselves in kisses.

Jesse jolted, gasping, when Gabe finally ran his hand across Jesse's sensitive cock, caressing it tenderly, then smoothing down over and around his balls, landing at last between Jesse's thighs. Gabe rubbed his fingers all over, pressing and pulling at the skin behind Jesse's sack and around his hole, massaging the puckered flesh. Jesse would have backed out of the kiss, freeing himself to breathe and to groan as the fingers between his legs drove him mad, but Gabe held him snugly in place while thrusting his tongue further into Jesse's mouth, conquering it.

Just when Jesse was ready to beg Gabe to do more than tease, Gabe released him, and began kissing his way down Jesse's body. Jesse was already breathing hard and making small noises from the fondling and the plundering kisses, now the things Gabe was doing with his lips and tongue was just keeping him going. Gabe lingered over his chest, nibbling and sucking at his nipples. The one that peeked out beneath the gauze lit on fire at this treatment, sending shocks like razor wire across the knife wound above. Jesse was panting, not sure if it was pain or pleasure, but then Gabe moved along, following the dark trail of silky hair down to where it became curly and thick.

Pushing Jesse's thighs apart with again-unexpected gentleness, Gabe nuzzled around the base of Jesse’s rigid dick. He began to do the same things with his mouth that he had done earlier with his hand.

“Jess, look at me.”

Overwhelmed by sensation, Jesse hadn’t even realized he’d closed his eyes. He opened them now, and they were captured by Gabe’s mesmerizing stare, compelling him to watch as Gabe sucked on his balls, squeezing them together with his cheeks and teasing them with lashings of his tongue. Jesse remained locked in, moaning raggedly as Gabe surrounded the head of his cock with wet lips. He couldn’t look away, not so long as those dark brown eyes were fixed on his. And Gabe kept them there, even as he licked up and down Jesse’s shaft, even as he took it all into his mouth and swallowed around it, his lips feeling like kisses as they met the cloud of curls at the base.

Jesse was coming undone. Gabe was like no lover he’d ever experienced, and he wasn’t clear if it was sheer skill or if there was a passion behind it that drove the intensity. Jesse suspected his own desire played a part. But even as his body and mind crumbled beneath Gabe’s ministrations, there was yet a thin layer of insulation between Jesse and the sensations that made him shake and gasp.

“Gabe…” he began. “Doc gave me painkillers. I’m not sure...I don’t know if I can come. Everything feels fucking amazing, but I just don’t know…”

Gabe lifted his head, swirling his tongue around the now cherry-red tip of Jesse’s cock and dipping pointedly into the slit. “Is that a challenge?” he asked, his voice low and raw. His thumbs were still stroking Jesse’s sack as he spoke.

“Unnnghh...no? Maybe?” Jesse struggled to keep himself together. “Just wanted to warn you, in case…”

“Do you have any lube here?” Gabe asked, between planting wet kisses on Jesse’s dick.

Jesse tried to pull open the top drawer of the bedside table, knocking off a few more playing cards in the process. “In there, should be right in the corner.” Then he realized what he kept next to the lube and he was mortified. Gabe was already up on his knees and peering into the drawer. Jesse saw Gabe’s eyebrow go up, and the ghost of a smile play across his face. Then the small black bottle was in his hand and the drawer was quietly closed.

“Is that supposed to be an alien dick?” Gabe asked casually as he squeezed a dollop of slippery gel out onto his fingers.

Jesse felt his neck prickle and his cheeks go hot. “Uh, dragon, I reckon. It looked...interesting?” 

Gabe smiled and rubbed his fingertips around Jesse’s entrance. “Interesting,” he repeated softly. “Yes.” He pressed a finger to the center of the bud, and it slipped in easily, with a little sigh from Jesse. Leaning over again, he took Jesse’s cock back into his mouth, sliding up and down its length as he massaged the sensitive nerves inside with his finger.

“Holy...oh god, Gabe…” Jesse felt the pressure building like the tide was coming in: waves rolling in, one after another. But they just kept washing over him, never breaking. Gabe added a second finger, then a third, alternating sucking and swirling with his tongue, bobbing his head up and down. It just made Jesse sweat, arching his back, pressing back against Gabe’s hand and reaching for the release that was still just out of sight.

With his other hand, Gabe had been alternating between stroking Jesse’s shaft and his own, and he knew his own orgasm wasn’t too far distant. He pulled off of Jesse’s throbbing dick and looked up at his lover’s face, his cheeks glowing pink and lips rosy, his shaggy brown hair damp and limp across his brow, his eyes squeezed shut. Jesse was absolutely wrecked.

“Jess, baby,” Gabe said softly. “How are you doing?”

Jesse’s eyes opened, but it took a moment for them to focus. “Everything feels so damn good, I just...I mean, I was hoping you’d be doing something with that secret weapon of yours besides rubbing it against my leg.” To Gabe’s delight, Jesse’s face turned a darker shade of pink.

“I never expected you to be shy, Jess. Or religious.” Gabe noticed pre-come welling up out of Jesse’s slit, and bent to suck it off.

“Religious? Oh!...oh, lordy!” Jesse practically yelped as Gabe’s mouth touched down on his head in concert with a sensuous twist of fingers in his ass.

Gabe sat back on his heels and rubbed his hands along Jesse’s thighs a few times before reaching for the lube. He caught Jesse’s gaze and held it once more, almost daring him to look away as he lubed up his erection, exaggerating the sloppy wet sounds of it as he did so. Jesse couldn’t help but glance down, and the flush that had begun to fade from his face returned with a vengeance when he looked back up to find Gabe smirking.

Then, as Gabe leaned over him and began to push against his softened and well-prepared hole, Jesse saw the mirth vanish from his face. An expression of ecstasy replaced it, and as he sank further into the heat of Jesse’s body, his mouth fell open and his eyelids fluttered closed. Gabe moved slowly, carefully, simultaneously concerned about hurting his injured partner and stimulating himself too quickly. He was closer to the edge than he’d thought, but maybe that was good. He’d be less likely to get rough.

Gabe pushed part way in, pulled back, then slipped in further, repeating the process a handful of times until his hips at last touched Jesse’s rounded buttocks. “Ahhhh,” he sighed. “I’m beginning to feel religious too, because holy hell you feel good around me.” He slid back and then thrust in, smoothly changing direction and calibrating the amount of force required to touch bottom without slamming hard against Jesse.

Jesse’s hands were holding Gabe’s face as their bodies moved together, the waves rolling over him again as Gabe’s substantial cock filled him and then retreated in gentle loops. He hadn’t forgotten how well-endowed Gabe was, but yet...it just felt much better and much larger than he remembered. God, he could get used to this. And this wasn't just a fuck, either. Jesse didn't care what Gabe said about making promises, his actions were saying that there was more to this than getting off. It all made Jesse feel warm, whole, something he rarely experienced. If he was making a mistake, it was really hard to see the downside from where he was now.

Gabe leaned down and kissed Jesse, his lips still tasting of salt, and Jesse sucked the taste of himself off of his tongue like it was honey. Maintaining such a regular rhythm, even as soft and gentle as it was, was bringing Gabe right up to the edge, and he felt his muscles tighten in preparation. He felt a small pang of guilt for not managing to carry Jesse along with him, but he swore to himself he’d take care of that after...and then the ripple ran through him and he was diving into his lover’s body, spilling his seed deep inside.

“Oh fuck,” he moaned. “God, you’re so beautiful. So beautiful, Jesse. Oh, baby…” Gabe slowed at last, and then stopped, hilted in Jesse’s gratifyingly snug ass. A late spasm made him tremble, and he buried his face in Jesse’s shoulder, loving the feel of Jesse’s long fingers as they stroked his close-shaved head. He felt so good, so alive. He left a few kisses along Jesse’s collarbone and disengaged his cock from its comfortable berth.

Gabe sat back between Jesse’s spread legs and looked down at his debauched lover, who tenderly returned his gaze. “I’m gonna make you feel this good, too, babe,” he said, reaching over and opening the drawer. “Although I may need the help of a dragon.”

Jesse was dizzy with pleasure already, and knew he would have survived just fine without finishing, even if it was a little uncomfortable. But there was also a reason that the oddly-shaped dildo was the one he kept so easily accessible: it reliably got him off. He watched as Gabe slicked it up, examining all its unusual features. The soft silicone shimmered in swirls of blue and purple, from the small knob of a head down the gradually swelling shaft to the bulb-like swelling at the base. It was large, and heavy in his hand, and Gabe ran his fingers along the ridges and nubs that patterned the shaft, imagining what they would feel like rubbing across sensitive parts.

“You get all this inside you?” he asked. Gabe had tried some weird shit in his time, but somehow had never come across a fantasy toy like this one. He wondered briefly if he was lacking in imagination.

Jesse nodded, bringing his knees up a little closer to his chest in anticipation. Gabe placed the head of the toy against Jesse's entrance and swirled it around, teasing him as the silicone warmed against his flesh.

“Even this big lump at the bottom?”

“The knot?” Jesse replied. “Yeah, sometimes.” He was a little surprised at Gabe's apparent unfamiliarity. “I guess you never read any turn-of-the-century erotic fiction.” His voice faded as Gabe slid the dildo inside him, working it back and forth, dragging the textured shaft across his sensitive rim and nudging his prostate with the rounded tip.

“Can't say I have,” Gabe replied, enthralled by the effect it was having on Jesse, who had immediately begun stroking himself. He made himself comfortable and leaned over, pulling Jesse's hand away to make room for his mouth. He continued moving the toy, pushing it deeper, twisting it this way and that, while applying similar techniques to Jesse's leaking cock.

Jesse was getting completely lost, crying out with every thrust of the dildo as its tapered shaft opened him wider, with every plunge of his cock into Gabe's throat. The arousal was spreading further than it had before, echoing through every nerve. Every inch of skin resonated with the stimulation. He felt the knot bump against his hole and it made him gasp. Maybe he would be able to come after all.

Gabe heard Jesse's swift intake of breath and realized where he was with the toy. “The dragon's ready for you, babe,” he said, as he wiped the drool from his goatee. “Are you ready for the dragon?”

“Yessss,” Jesse moaned. “Fuck, Gabe, I'm so close. I need it, please…”

Gabe shifted to rubbing Jesse's cock with his left hand so he could watch what he was doing with the dildo. He nudged the first swelling of the irregularly-shaped knot gently into Jesse's cavity and turned it slightly to spread the pressure around. Jesse made a sweet little noise, and Gabe thought of how loud he might get by the time they finished, and it turned him on. He wondered if the surveillance cameras in the hallway would be able to pick up the sounds, and if anyone would put the noise together with him entering and leaving the room. He knew he should be concerned about appearances, about keeping this illicit liaison secret, but he couldn't help picturing Jack in his office, watching video footage and putting two and two together. It made him hot, and he twisted the dildo further into Jesse's ass, captivated by how far Jesse was stretching to accommodate the bulbous protrusion.

Jesse was almost constantly vocalizing now, sweat and tears running down his face as he held his legs up and spread them wide. Gabe had reached the middle of the knot, the widest part, and he was playing with it there, wiggling and twisting it to force Jesse's hole wider and wider. It burned like fire, but the painkillers were saving him from the worst, and natural endorphins were kicking in and filling up the receptors not already occupied. He was floating now, he was the night sky; every pinprick of a star was a nerve ending alight with ecstasy. The dragon dick slid deeper inside him, filling him utterly, expanding his anal cavity and pressurizing his bladder and prostate. He cried out. It was too much but in just the right way. He needed it. Jesse knew then what Gabe meant when he said he needed to feel alive. It was this.

Having seated the dildo completely inside his lover, Gabe returned his attention to sucking his beautifully purpling cock. He rocked the dragon dick back and forth in time with the motion of his mouth up and down Jesse's shaft. Gabe swirled his tongue around the head of Jesse’s prick, drinking in the sounds of his partner’s pleasure as they flowed steadily from his slack lips. He was rubbing the tip of his tongue across Jesse's piss slit, as if he could somehow press down into the narrow channel and bury himself in delicious cock flesh, when he felt his lover tense beneath him.

“Oh god, oh god, Gabe, I'm coming… holy FUCK,” Jesse exclaimed, not quite as loudly as Gabe had anticipated, but with a rough, wet hoarseness that sounded like pure sex. Gabe held his mouth still, lips tightly sealed and sucking gently on Jesse's head as he stroked the shaft with his fingers, pumping through every jerk and jolt to catch every bit of come as it launched itself free and spattered across the back of his throat. He swallowed, the fluid sticky and thick, but he'd take the product of pleasure any day over some of the things that had been forced down his gullet in his lifetime.

With the spasms of his orgasm fading, Jesse began to press on the dildo from the inside, needing to free himself from the growing discomfort of the strain. Gabe released his softened cock and laid it down gently, then helped disengage the massive hunk of silicone from his partner's body.

When it was free, Jesse relaxed into the sweat-damp sheets, utterly reduced to jelly. Gabe carried the toy into the tiny cubicle of a bathroom and washed it, leaving it there to dry, then cleaned himself and brought a damp cloth back for Jesse, who was dangerously close to falling asleep. He leaned against the doorjamb of the bathroom for a moment and regarded the younger man as he sprawled, loose-limbed and naked, across the bed. It was moments like these that reminded Gabe so much of their age difference, and brought out his protective instincts. He wished so much...no, it wouldn’t help to think about it. His path was already set. All he could really do was keep moving forward. He sighed softly to himself, and went over to the bed, leaning over to brush a damp lock of hair out of Jesse’s eyes.

Jesse stirred, and his trusting grey eyes looked up into Gabe’s as he let himself be wiped down. “You take such good care of me,” he murmured. “I seem to remember that you’re not known for your tenderness.”

Gabe smiled wryly. “Let’s say I just like to leave a place the way I found it. And I need you in one piece and back in the field, so it’s worth my while to look after you properly. Now that the color’s back in your cheeks, I feel like I’ve done my part.” He finished the job quickly, and tossed the cloth back into the bathroom, then pulled on his underwear and tank. He started to reach for his sweater and hesitated, deciding instead to turn back to the bed. He pulled the sheet over them both as he laid down next to Jesse, who moved over to give him more room.

“I can’t stay long, love,” he whispered. “But I’ll stay for a bit.” Gabe wrapped his arm across Jesse’s midsection and laid his head on the pillow beside him, nuzzling into Jesse’s warm neck. It wasn’t long before Jesse was asleep, relaxed into his arms. The light in the room was fading fast as the sun dipped behind the mountains, and Gabe knew he needed to get moving. He slipped out of bed, doing his best not to disturb his sleeping partner, and finished getting dressed. When he was ready, he leaned over Jesse one last time, and left a gentle kiss next to his mouth. He left the room, looking straight into the security camera as he silently closed the door, then turned and strode down the hallway.

 

*

 

There was a tap at the door, and a moment later it opened and Dr. Ziegler entered the room, closing the door softly behind her. Jesse, clinging desperately to the last edges of sleep and the dreams that lingered there, gave up and opened his eyes to the cool morning light.

“Hey, Doc,” he greeted her. He tried to sound cheerful, but the meds had worn off in the night and he’d been feeling the pain of his wounds ever since. Then he remembered he wasn’t wearing anything beneath the sheet, and shifted his legs to try and obscure the fact.

“How are you this morning, Jesse?” the doctor asked. She set her small box of supplies down on the bedside table, trying to avoid stepping on the cards that still lay scattered across the floor by the bed.

“Ah, I’ve been better. Hurts a bit. And I’d give anything for a smoke. I’m even willing to risk your wrath at this point.”

Angela smiled and looked him over appraisingly, stuck a thermometer under his tongue, and prepared to change his dressings. “If I’d known you were sexually active,” she said in an offhand way, “I would have warned you not to engage in any for a couple of days until you have time to heal a bit. You really have no need to lie to me, Jesse. Anything you tell me in the course of an examination is confidential.”

“Hmmm?” Jesse squeaked, effectively silenced by the thermometer. How did she know?

She could read the query in his wide eyes and lifted eyebrows, and as a tactful reply she shifted her gaze to a purple mark in the hollow of Jesse’s shoulder. He followed her line of sight and flushed red, swallowing hard as the doctor pulled the thermometer out of his mouth.

“I, uh…well, sorry, Doc. It was...unplanned. Generally speaking, I’m not, er...involved...with anyone.” He cleared his throat.

“I see,” Angela replied. “Well, you don't seem to have any breakthrough bleeding, and your temperature is normal, so it doesn’t seem to have done any serious harm. But in future, if I prescribe complete rest, please remember I mean  _ rest _ . Even if you’re flat on your back the whole time, sex is still strenuous. Now,” she continued, “this may sting a bit…” She pulled back the tape that held the gauze to his chest, and examined the wound. When it met her approval, she applied a fresh bandage, then repeated the process on his arm.

“It looks good. You’re young and healthy, so you should heal quickly. I still want you to take it easy, but you’re free to leave your room.” She was packing everything back into her box, tucking the used bandages in a plastic bag for disposal. “Now, I believe Strike Commander Morrison wants to stop by and check in with you, so maybe we should get a shirt on you to make you presentable.”

Jesse nodded, completely mute for once. He watched as Angela rummaged in his closet, pulling out one of his softest flannel shirts. She held it up and raised her eyebrow, and when he nodded she brought it over and helped him get it on. Then she pulled a pill bottle from her pocket and handed it to him.

“One or two of these every four to six hours, okay? To ease your pain.” As he opened the bottle, she turned towards the bathroom. “I’ll get you some water.”

Jesse heard the water running, then an unusually pink-cheeked Angela came back out with a glass in her hand. She turned off the bathroom light and closed the door before stepping over to hand him the water. As he swallowed down his pill, she bent and began picking up cards from the floor. He set the water glass down.

“You don’t have to do that, Angie. I dropped ‘em last night and was just too damn out of it to care. I’ll get ‘em.” But by the time he’d managed to protest, she’d collected all the cards that had made it to the floor. She stacked them neatly and placed them next to the glass.

“It’s quite alright,” she said. “Anyway, I will leave you to rest now. Make sure you get some breakfast when the dining hall opens…” There was another knock at the door, more assertive than the doctor’s. “That will be the Strike Commander,” Angela said, and opened the door to greet him. “He’s all yours, sir. The wounds are clean and he should recover quickly.”

“Thank you, doctor,” came the gruff voice of their commanding officer. Jesse swallowed hard. He knew, he’d always known, right from the beginning, that Jack Morrison and Gabriel Reyes had a history. They were partners, and more than partners. This was the man that had, purely by existing, convinced Jesse he’d never even have a shot at catching Reyes’ eye. And now somehow he’d managed it, and had to figure out how to face his competition. Did he know? Would he be angry if he knew?

Strike Commander Jack Morrison seemed to take up more of the room than even Gabe did, even though they were much the same size. He came over to perch on the edge of the bed, his manner friendly, if not entirely relaxed.

“Hey! How are you doing today, Jesse?” he asked. Up close, Jesse could see that the golden hair that made him such an arresting figure on the Overwatch promotional materials had been replaced with a significant amount of silver.

“Good morning, sir,” Jesse replied. “I’m not too terrible. A little banged up.”

“Good, good. And the doc is saying you’ll be fine.” Jack smiled, his blue eyes crinkling, proving that he wasn’t always as serious as he seemed. “Commander Reyes didn’t go too rough on you did he? I know what he’s like when a subordinate gets injured, especially when it’s his second-in-command. He takes it very personally.”

“No, uh, I mean...he chewed me out a little, but then he seemed to be more interested in making sure I wasn’t in any pain and would recover quickly.” Jesse was pleased that the words came out smoothly and were truthful without giving away more information than necessary. This was just like any other undercover gig. All he had to do was play it cool.

Jack’s face revealed nothing. “That sounds like Reyes,” he said. His gaze drifted to the window, as if he was remembering something. “Yes, that sounds like him. ” He came back to the present with a snap, his eyes bright as he looked into Jesse’s face. “Well! I’m glad to see you in good spirits. It’s always a little scary to hear someone’s fallen in the line of duty. If you need anything, my door is open.” Jack patted Jesse’s knee and stood up to go.

“Thank you, sir,” Jesse said. “I appreciate it.” He watched as Jack Morrison disappeared out into the hallway, feeling, if anything, confused. He was almost certain now that Jack knew what he and Gabe had been up to, but his reaction seemed to be...concern for Jesse? He must have misread that, surely.

Jesse sighed and shifted down on his pillow, unbuttoning the shirt that covered his love bite. The meds were beginning to blur away his pain and fear, and the sense of joy and warmth he’d experienced the night before was returning. His eyes drifted closed, and his hands wandered down between his legs as he relived the pleasure and sought to recapture the bliss.

**Author's Note:**

> This seems to be one of my favorite tropes. Person gets injured, person who cares about injured person flips their lid and then they work it out physically and strengthen their bond (whether they want a bond or not). So I apologize if I use it too often, but I've kind of set it up as a recurring theme with variations in my Overwatch fics. And it's as good a reason as any for my characters to get naked. /wink


End file.
